Chinese-owned housing developer Avanda Ltd, confirmed as the developer for stage 2 of the 20ha council-owned Airfields precinct at Hobsonville Point in February last year, is about to build the first homes awarded a 6 Homestar rating using a bespoke checklist.

The new homes’ design has received the quality assurance mark from the Green Building Council, which certifies their healthiness & sustainability. The mark ensures good energy efficiency, ventilation, moisture control & insulation.

Council redevelopment agency Panuku Development Auckland’s development director, Allan Young, said yesterday Panuku was committed to ensuring a minimum of 6 Homestar-rated homes across all its development locations. To help reach this goal, a customised checklist was created in collaboration with the Green Building Council & other Auckland Council organisations.

Mr Young said: “We’re committed to ensuring high quality homes for Aucklanders, while making the Homestar process smoother for our development partners. That’s why we developed the checklist. Every area we work in is different, and it was important for us to work closely with the Green Building Council & industry to ensure our development partners have the tools they need to deliver quality homes, on budget.”

Avanda project manager Paul Wither said that, while the company knew its home designs were good quality, the Homestar rating independently verified that: “It was straightforward working alongside Panuku on the Homestar process. At Avanda, we take care to ensure the homes we deliver are energy- & water-efficient as well as being designed for the future.

“The advantage for families moving into these homes is that they know they will get a Homestar-verified home that not only looks great but performs well – and will deliver value for years to come. We’re thrilled to have 6 Homestar as evidence of the quality homes we will be delivering at The Airfields in Hobsonville Point.”

The Building Excellence Group Ltd, started by environmental scientist Alex Reiche in 2015, carried out Avanda’s Homestar assessment. The development is expected to be started in the next few months.

2 cross-leases & 2 suburban units were sold at Barfoot & Thompson’s residential auction at its city office yesterday, out of 10 intensive residential properties on offer. A terrace at Flat Bush was sold at pre-auction today.

Among the 6 passed in today, 2 of the more distinctive offerings attracted no bid – an apartment in the 60-year-old Endymion in Remuera and another in the brand-new North apartments on the Great North Rd ridge in Grey Lynn, which was taken to auction by developer David Southcombe.

Metlifecare Ltd said last week it had gone unconditional on its purchase of a 5.3ha waterfront site at Orion Pt in Hobsonville. Settlement is expected by June.

The retirement village company plans to spend $200 million building over 264 units, including a 36-bed care home, on the north-facing coastal site.

Chief executive Glen Sowry said the village would provide the full continuum of independent living & care options, including exclusive waterfront villas, serviced apartments & hospital-level care: “We will make the most of this exceptional site, with its expansive harbour views as well as direct access to the adjoining coastal walkway and 11ha nature reserve at Bomb Pt.”

“Our research & analysis indicates that we can expect strong demand for this offering in Auckland’s north-west, where the 75+ age demographic is projected to treble in size over the next 20 years.”

Mr Sowry said the company expected the village to generate a development margin for its independent living units & apartments above its 15% hurdle rate and a positive cash margin net of the costs of the common & care facilities.
Mr Sowry said design & consenting were well advanced and construction was planned to start in the second half of 2018. He said the village would be built over 4 stages, with the first delivered in 2020.

The new site takes Metlifecare’s total village sites to 28, of which 18 are in the Auckland region.

Barfoot & Thompson Commercial agents on the North Shore have tallied up a long list of sales & leases over the summer – 6 sales & 22 leases, including involvement in some outside the north-east Auckland area.

7 sold at Barfoot & Thompson’s city office auction sessions on Wednesday & Thursday out of 19 intensive living units listed below, which include apartments in both the cbd & suburbia, traditional brick & tile units, some terraces & townhouses and, from the Wednesday afternoon session, some cross-leased properties.

The properties listed below are all intensive in some form, so exclude standalone homes (unless they’re on a cross-lease).

A regular feature of the market is the appearance of properties at various stages of leaky building remediation, and 2 fit that description here.

Every agency handling apartments also has a supply of units in the brand-new Sugartree development’s second stage, Centro, to offer. Ray White City Apartments had 2 yesterday and Barfoots had one – all passed in.

The auction rooms have mostly been quiet, and the distinguishing feature has been the high proportion of the offering which attracted no bid – 6 of those listed here – despite, in some cases, bidders registering.

Summerfield Villas, 386 Richmond Rd, unit 1:Features: m², 4-level 4-bedroom terrace, 2 bathrooms, double garage, reclad terrace, tandem internal-access garage; repair work on the complex now being undertaken in 3 stages following leaky building claim, work on this unit completed, vendor has set aside balance of repair levy but any further costs would be liability of new owner; there is a code compliance settlement clauseOutgoings: body corp levy $3602/year + remedial leviesOutcome: no bidAgent: Jonathan White

A Kea Property Group office in the Workspace development area at Hobsonville has been sold off the plan by Kea associate Corinthian Properties Ltd (Dave McAlpine & Zane Gifford), through Colliers.

North-west

Hobsonville

102C Hobsonville Rd:Features: 600m² office, part of a $23 million development by Kea Property Group which includes a childcare centre, retail, cafes, commercial services & offices, with completion expected November 2018Outcome: sold off the plan for $2.848 million + gstAgents: Sean Finnegan & Craig Smith

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